Method of making a multiparty conference call on a mobile phone

• US 6,505,040 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Ji-Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, SHEILA B
• Application Number:
  US09/475,685
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 455/417, 455/406, 455/413, 455/414, 455/418, 455/419, 455/422, 455/550, 455/421, 455/416, 370/260, 370/261
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5009 Adding a party to an existing conference conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5018 Initiating a conference during a two-party conversation, i.e. three-party-service or three-way-call computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A method of making a mobile phone invite multiple remote parties for a multiparty conference through a mobile phone service network, comprises the steps of setting the mobile phone to a multiparty conference mode, searching a subscriber table in which are stored the multiple remote parties to find out what phone numbers to call; transmitting a set-up command asking for connection of the first remote party to the network; holding the connection upon receiving its confirmation from the network; transmitting another set-up command asking for connection of the next remote party to the network; transmitting a multiparty conference request (MPTY request) to the network to join the present active call of the next remote party with the previous call, now holding, of the first remote party upon receiving the confirmation of the next remote party'"'"'s connection; holding the joined call of the first and next remote parties; repeating the previous fifth to seventh steps until joining the last remote party; and commencing the multiparty conference.

Claims

1. A method of making a mobile phone invite multiple remote parties for a remote multiparty conference through a mobile phone service network, comprising the steps of:

storing multiple remote parties calling information in a subscriber table;

setting said mobile phone to a multiparty conference mode;

retrieving the multiple remote parties calling information from the subscriber table;

searching a subscriber table to find out what phone numbers to call;

transmitting a set-up command asking for connection of a first remote party to said network;

holding the first party connection upon receiving network confirmation of the first party connection;

transmitting another set-up command asking for connection of a next remote party to said network;

transmitting a multiparty conference request to join the present active connection of the next remote party with the holding connection of the first remote party upon receiving network confirmation of the next remote party connection;

putting the joined connection of said first and next remote parties on hold;

repeating the previous seventh to ninth steps until joining the last remote party; and

commencing said multiparty conference.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, including the further steps of:

repeating the transmission of a set-up command asking for connection of one of the multiple remote parties by a predetermined number of times upon not receiving network confirmation of the connection of said remote party because said remote party is in communication with another person; and

excluding said remote party from said multiparty conference when the transmission of said set-up command has been repeated a predetermined number of times in vain or said remote party is not in communication with another person.

3. A method of making a multiparty conference call on a mobile phone, comprising the steps of:

a) storing calling information of remote multiple parties;

b) transmitting a set-up command requesting connection of a first remote party;

c) receiving a confirmation of connection set-up;

d) putting the connection on hold;

e) transmitting a set-up command requesting connection of a next remote party;

f) receiving a confirmation of connection set-up;

g) transmitting a multiparty conference request to join a previous connection with a present connection;

h) putting the joined connection on hold; and

i) repeating steps e)-h) until connection set-up has been attempted for all of the remote multiple parties.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the initiating step further comprises the steps of:

retrieving the stored calling information;

establishing an order of calling; and

setting up the multiparty conference call.